Baby bottle blues

So, you’re ready to go back to work.  Or maybe have a kid-free date night out planned.  Or maybe you just need a few hours to yourself.  For most breastfeeding mothers, there will come a time when their babies will need to use a bottle.  You may pump and pump, making sure you have enough milk to feed your baby when you’re away, only to realize that the issue wasn’t going to be the milk, but the bottle.  It’s fairly common that exclusively breastfed babies reject bottles at first.  After all, why have a rubbery nipple and lukewarm reheated milk when you can have the real thing at the perfect temperature?  So, what should you do if your baby is experiencing a bottle strike?

• Introduce the bottle after the baby has had a little bit to nurse first; if he is too hungry, the new sensation of a bottle may only him more cranky.  And try giving a bottle several days before the bottle is officially needed.  This way, you can try and try over the next few days until he gets used to it.
• Have someone else give the baby the bottle.  Babies have a great sense of smell, and if they can smell mama, but aren’t getting milk directly from the boobies, the baby may get frustrated and refuse to take the bottle.
• If you don’t have a helper nearby to feed the baby, hold the baby in a position that is different from how you would hold her while breastfeeding.
• Experiment with different bottles and nipples.  There are SO MANY different types of baby bottles on the market, with several different nipple flows.  Choose the right flow nipple for your little one; one that mimics the natural breast as much as possible.  Many bottle companies are now making bottles directly marketed to breastfeeding moms, and they often have angled and/or shaped nipples.
•  Put a small amount of expressed milk on the bottle’s nipple.  If the baby knows the good stuff is inside by getting a sneak peek (or taste), they might be more willing to give it a go.
• Try a cup or spoon.  Some babies just will not drink from an artificial nipple.  Alternative serving devices such as cups and spoons are totally acceptable.
• Keep trying!  Babies need to be fed, no matter the method, so in the practice phases of introducing the bottle, if the baby gets too frustrated, nurse the baby and try the bottle again another time!